Airbus' new sales chief has set his sights on winning more than two new customers for the slow-selling A330neo this year, as he seeks to improve the European company's position in the market for long-haul jets.
In his first interview since joining Airbus from Rolls-Royce last month, Eric Schulz said sales must accelerate for both the A330neo and the larger A350-1000 in the next two to three years, while demand remained buoyant for the mid-sized A350-900.
Flight test results from the A330neo, an upgraded version of Airbus's most-sold wide-body jet that is due to enter service this summer, are encouraging, Mr Schulz said at the Singapore Airshow.
"I am very optimistic about what I have seen about the performance of the plane," Mr Schulz said.
Although Airbus beat Boeing in the order race last year, following a final flurry of business by Mr Schulz's predecessor, John Leahy, steadying the demand for Airbus wide-body fleet is a priority after Boeing took three in every four orders in 2017.
"This is an area where we have been most challenged ... and I would be honest by saying that part of my success will be measured by my ability to change that," said Mr Schulz.
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Read more:
Asian demand bonanza ahead for Airbus and Boeing
Emirates' A380 deal with Airbus a lesson for all
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"The next 24 months, the next three years, are the years when things have to accelerate, that is for the A330neo and the A350-1000," he said, adding it was common for airlines to wait until jets entered service before making major decisions.
Thee A350-1000 is due to be delivered to its first customer in coming weeks.
Industry experts say the A330neo, a refresh of the A330 launched with fuel-saving engines in 2014 at a time when oil was above $100 a barrel, has struggled to make its mark due to lower oil prices and the popularity of the underlying model.
Additionally, Boeing has been actively targeting potential customers with its newer Boeing 787, which it says outclasses the older Airbus model.
Mr Schulz said airlines such as those setting up low cost, long-haul operations would favour the A330neo, whose economics would come to the fore as oil prices rise back towards $80.
Joker: Folie a Deux
Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson
Director: Todd Phillips
Rating: 2/5
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The chef's advice
Troy Payne, head chef at Abu Dhabi’s newest healthy eatery Sanderson’s in Al Seef Resort & Spa, says singles need to change their mindset about how they approach the supermarket.
“They feel like they can’t buy one cucumber,” he says. “But I can walk into a shop – I feed two people at home – and I’ll walk into a shop and I buy one cucumber, I’ll buy one onion.”
Mr Payne asks for the sticker to be placed directly on each item, rather than face the temptation of filling one of the two-kilogram capacity plastic bags on offer.
The chef also advises singletons not get too hung up on “organic”, particularly high-priced varieties that have been flown in from far-flung locales. Local produce is often grown sustainably, and far cheaper, he says.
Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
Stats at a glance:
Cost: 1.05 billion pounds (Dh 4.8 billion)
Number in service: 6
Complement 191 (space for up to 285)
Top speed: over 32 knots
Range: Over 7,000 nautical miles
Length 152.4 m
Displacement: 8,700 tonnes
Beam: 21.2 m
Draught: 7.4 m
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
MO
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MATCH INFO
Real Madrid 2
Vinicius Junior (71') Mariano (90 2')
Barcelona 0
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
What are the GCSE grade equivalents?
- Grade 9 = above an A*
- Grade 8 = between grades A* and A
- Grade 7 = grade A
- Grade 6 = just above a grade B
- Grade 5 = between grades B and C
- Grade 4 = grade C
- Grade 3 = between grades D and E
- Grade 2 = between grades E and F
- Grade 1 = between grades F and G